Fire starting device



Die. 6, 1960 c. E. ROY 2,963,081 FIRE STARTING DEVICE Filed lay 9. 195a INVENTOR.

GERARD E. ROY

- ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,963,081 FIRE STARTING DEVICE Gerard Eugene Roy, 1144, U.S. Highway 101, Leucadia, Calif.

Filed May 9, 1958, Ser. No. 734,287

1 Claim. (Cl. 158-10) This invention relates to a device for igniting solid fuel.

In starting wood, or coal, fires in an indoor, or in an outdoor, fire place, it is necessary to use kindling material such as paper, wood splinters, etc., to produce a flame sufficient to ignite the particular fuel.

Kindling wood is expensive and bulky and it is not always available. This is especially true if it is suddenly decided to make a barbecue on a Sunday or in the evening when stores are closed. In the absence of kindling material, it is customary to use oil, turpentine, gasoline or alcohol, etc., to start the fire. Some of these fuels are dangerous to handle, and some leave a long lasting and obnoxious odor. Furthermore, if any of these liquid fuels is used in insufiicient quantity, it will not ignite the fire and it will be very dangerous to add more of the fluid to smouldering coals. If these fuels are used in excess quantities, the coal, or wood, is likely to be half burned before liquid fuels have been consumed. This is wasteful because only a red glowing bed of embers can be used for broiling meats or for toasting other foods.

It is, therefore, one object of my invention to produce a device for igniting solid fuel which can be readily used indoors and outdoors, and which is safe to handle.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of the type set forth which can be used for as long as needed so that, if a fuel, such as wood, or charcoal, is ignited relatively quickly, the use of the lighter can be discontinued and so that, if a fuel such as coal takes longer to ignite, the use of the lighter can be continued for as long as it is necessary properly to ignite the fuel.

A still further object of the invention is to produce an improved fire starting device which is attractive, which is inexpensive to produce and one which is light and easy to handle.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which the single figure is a perspective view of a fire starting device embodying my invention, some parts being broken away to show the internal construction.

The igniting device illustrated includes a casing which houses a motor 12, the shaft of which rotates an impeller 14. The casing is provided with intake slots 16. Motor 12 may be battery operated or it may be connected to a source of electrical energy, by means of "ice an extension cord, not shown. In either event, the motor is turned on or oif by means of a switch 18. The igniting device further includes an air tube 20, which is carried by and communicates with casing 10. Within tube 20 is a fuel conduit 28, the intake end 30 of which projects through opening 21 in the wall of tube 20 and is provided with a cover 32. Conduit 28 leads into or terminates in a slightly larger pipe 36 which is secured to the wall of tube 20 by pins 24. and 26 and which is adapted to receive a cartridge 22 made of mineral wool or other porous and non-combustible material. Pipe 36 carries a perforated disc 38 which serves to diffuse the air. Fuel conduit 28 is preferably supported midway of its length by a pin 34.

To use the device cover 32 is moved to the open position and lighter fluid, alcohol or some other readily ignited fluid is poured into pipe 28. A match is then applied to cartridge 22 to ignite the latter and switch 18 is turned on. The rotation of impeller 14 creates a current of air in tube 20 which flows through and around perforated plate 38. This causes the flame to project beyond the edge 40 of tube 20 and into contact with the solid fuel to be ignited. Conduit 28 is preferably calibrated to hold enough liquid fuel adequately to ignite an average wood or coal fire, but, in cases where this may not sufiice, conduit 28 can be readily refilled.

Cartridge 22 is removably mounted in casing 36 and may be replaced when necessary.

What I claim is:

A portable device for igniting solid fuel, said device including a relatively large diameter tube having an intake end and a discharge end, a casing having air intake slots carried by and communicating with said intake end of said tube, an impeller in said casing for forcing a stream of air through said tube, a narrow fuel conduit within said tube, one end of said conduit projecting through the wall of said tube at a point near said casing for receiving liquid fuel, a cover for said one end of said conduit, the other end of said conduit terminating inwardly of the discharge end of said tube, a pipe, means rigidly connecting one end of said pipe to the discharge end of said conduit, a diffuser carried by said pipe, means rigidly securing said pipe to the discharge end of said tube, and a porous non-combustible cartridge detachably carried by said pipe and disposed inwardly of the discharge end of said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,131 Smith May 25, 1880 1,002,752 Rand Sept. 5, 1911 2,029,184 Paige Jan. 28, 1936 2,253,414 Arnold Aug. 19, 1941 2,549,806 Hall Apr. 24, 1951 2,790,490 Smith Apr. 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 143,001 Great Britain May 20, 1920 

